As a follow-up to an interview earlier this week, today, Scott Drury, Democratic candidate for Illinois Attorney General, began releasing on Twitter (@Drury4IL) documents and records of his interactions with Mike Madigan and his leadership team. Today’s records relate to a dinner meeting in October 2016 when Madigan requested approximately $60,000 from Drury, as Drury sought to pass child protection legislation that had stalled in the House.

During a radio interview on Sunday, Drury provided details of the dinner meeting, including Madigan’s request that Drury funnel the contribution through an entity known as LIFT PAC – a super PAC to which Madigan had no nominal connection. Madigan’s spokesman later claimed he could not verify the accuracy of Drury’s account. Drury believes he can assist with that. “Like James Comey, I, too, thought it wise to keep records of interactions with a power hungry leader used to getting his way,” said Drury.

According to Drury, he refused to be part of what he viewed as a money-laundering scheme and did not contribute to LIFT PAC. Undeterred, Madigan later proposed that Drury make the contribution through an array of Democratic candidates under Madigan’s control. For similar reasons, Drury refused.

So far, Drury has released an October 7, 2016 voice message from Madigan to Drury which led to the dinner meeting.

* Not much here except Madigan asking for a call back…

On Sunday, I described a series of meetings with Mike Madigan involving his request for approximately $60,000 to be funneled through a SuperPAC. His spokesperson questioned the validity of the allegations. Like @JamesComeyFBI , I kept records. This voicemail started it all. pic.twitter.com/d39XeqNWtL

By the way, I asked the Daniel Biss campaign this morning to respond to Drury’s allegations of a “money laundering scheme” at the LIFT PAC. Biss, you will recall, ran that political action committee. So far, no response.

*** UPDATE *** From the Biss campaign…

“Daniel was as committed to defeating Donald Trump and Bruce Rauner and their right wing agenda in 2016 as he is today. You’d think all Democrats would feel the same.”

Madigan asking him to donate to other Democrats is a job duty of the Party Chair.

Drury needs to be clear what he’s alleging because right now he’s saying that Madigan never promised legislation for money and that Madigan asked a member for donations to help the Democratic Party.

Most of this is what Madigan should be doing–the selling legislation would be a major crime, but all we have is Drury’s feelings about what was going on. I don’t trust Drury’s feelings on these issues.

While I would love to see significant reforms to campaign finance laws in Illinois, this is in no way money laundering. A FORMER ASSISTANT US ATTORNEY should certainly know this.

Money laundering is cycling illegally gotten money through legal businesses to make it appear to be legal. Everything he is claiming Madigan wanted him to do is taking legal money and donating it through legal channels.

Are we positive she will not return to her current seat when she loses? I don’t know much about elections, but I’m hearing that when she loses she will return to her seat in the House. Something about how the current candidate will step aside. Hopefully, the rumor has no merit to it.

I found it laughable when she touted “asking tough questions and treating advocates tough in committee were her greatest accomplishments since coming to Springfield in 2012.

There weren’t enough votes for that bill to get out of a committee. Even if Madigan pledged to vote for it, and even if it got to 3rd reading, that bill was so poorly conceived, written and managed that is was a certain Century Award winner.

Drury could have donated $1,000,000 to one of Madigan’s political funds and that bill would have never become law.

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